The wait is finally over – after several years and a few million pounds, The Cut & Craft is ready to open in Manchester… and it’s worth the wait.
This magnificent newcomer, already well-loved over in Leeds, has transformed an old Grade II-listed banking hall on Mosley Street into a decadent dining room.
Here, diners will sit beneath glittering chandeliers and ornate ceilings as they feast on premium locally-reared steaks, British seafood specials and a lengthy champagne and wine list.
Specialising in steak and seafood, with in-house butchery, The Cut & Craft has invested £3.5m to reinvigorate the former Manchester and Salford bank in the city centre.
Now, this landmark Victorian building is painted in rich blues and golds, with huge windows, private dining spaces, a sommelier lounge, and even a ‘gossip room’.
The restaurant will focus on quality steak and affordable seafood, served from lunch through to the evening.
Dishes will include freshly-shucked oysters, Exmoor caviar and hand-cut beef tartare with breaded yolk and sesame croutons, plus grilled monkfish, king scallops, fish and chips, grilled lamb cutlets and a signature 10 oz flat iron steak, which is butchered by an expert team in house.
And there’ll be bottomless brunches on all the upcoming bank holidays, with unlimited champagne for 90 minutes.
Each bottomless champagne brunch costs £90 and includes bottomless Moët & Chandon Champagne, a main dish, live entertainment and DJ soundtrack (see more on that HERE).
The stunning restoration project for The Cut & Craft has been carried out in collaboration with Bruntwood SciTech who have carried out a complete reimagining of the building.
Inside The Cut & Craft in Manchester
Matt Pazos, Retail Commercial Manager for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “The opening of The Cut and Craft in Manchester is a momentous occasion for Bruntwood SciTech’s Bond as we welcome the restaurant to our neighbourhood.
“Their move into the old banking hall is a natural fit for a brand that is known for its beautifully designed and dramatic interiors. It’s an extraordinary space and we’re delighted to see the team breathe new life into this landmark building.
“We can’t wait for Manchester to welcome The Cut and Craft to the city’s thriving hospitality scene and look forward to its success.”
The Cut & Craft officially opens in Manchester on Monday 28 April 2025 – see more HERE.
Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’
Emily Sergeant
In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.
Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway.
That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.
First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips.
Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree
With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.
To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.
The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.
Featured Image – Banana Tree
Eats
Bar Shrimp announces opening date as Higher Ground team gear up for new project
Daisy Jackson
Bar Shrimp, a new seafood and cocktail bar in Manchester from the team behind Higher Ground, has officially got itself an opening date.
The hotly-anticipated newcomer will be serving cocktails, beers, and British seafood and snacks from its spot on New York Street.
As well as confirming an October launch date, the team have also shared a glimpse of the menu Mancs can expect from next month.
Bar Shrimp will be offering an Oyster Happy Hour every weekday, as well as caviar with house-cut crisps, devilled eggs, and Sussex smokie fritters.
Expect shellfish over ice, Cornish crab cocktail, bar snack classics and even beef burgers.
It comes from the same team behind Higher Ground and Flawd, headed up again by hospitality dream team Joseph Otway, Daniel Craig Martin and Richard Cossins.
And they’ve partnered with Stockport-based MasterSounds, to install a state-of-the-art custom-designed sound system with music director Lukas Stankunas curating the music programming on a weekly basis.
They say the venue will be a ‘dynamic space where the music and energy evolves throughout the evening’.
The team behind award-winning Higher Ground are opening a new seafood bar, Bar Shrimp, in Manchester
Inside, it’ll be decorated with plush-red banquettes, floor-to-ceiling drapes, and table service throughout.
Matt Pazos, Bruntwood SciTech Retail Commercial Manager, said of the announcement: “Bar Shrimp promises to be another big success for the team and we can’t wait to welcome them to Faulkner House.
“This exciting new concept, bringing together the team’s exceptional knowledge and experience of food and hospitality combined with their passion for music, will further complement the thriving community in this part of Manchester city centre.”
Walk-ins will be welcomed for drinks but reservations are encouraged for dining.
Reservations for Bar Shrimp have gone live today ahead of its official launch on Wednesday 22 October – sign up HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd April 2025 
